Training for a Marathon: Part 1
by Sage Rountree • Jun 15th, 2010 • Category: Gym+Training, Run, Training Plans|
Training for a Marathon
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The marathon is a rite of passage for serious runners and for many non-runners, too: 26.2 miles of self-examination and self-knowledge. It’s also a doable goal for almost everyone, given the right circumstances and build-up. In this series, I’ll talk you through the process. Here, in part 1, we’ll look at the big picture. Part 2 will discuss nutrition and handling the workload, and part 3 will talk you through race week, race day, and the race itself.
CHOOSING TO RACE AND CHOOSING A RACE
How will you know you’re ready to take on the marathon? First, it helps to have a few years of consistent running under your belt, and ideally some races at shorter distances, including one or more half marathons. While you can do the race on less base experience, you’ll be more at risk for overuse injuries and burnout. The marathon isn’t going anywhere; you needn’t rush to the destination. Instead, enjoy the journey, taking in the sights all along the way: 5K, 10K, half marathon. Your marathon experience will be all the richer.
While a strong base of running endurance and experience is a critical prerequisite, you also need to have drive. The training for the marathon is no joke. It will require consistent commitment from you, not just for putting in the miles, but for paying attention to nutrition and getting your rest. Once you are regularly running two hours for your long run, you’ll need at least 16 weeks of concerted effort to prepare for the marathon. Consider your other commitments—family and work, primarily, but also any social engagements or trips that would monopolize your time in these four months. When these fronts are clear, you’ll be better able to make the effort it takes. If you have a partner, be sure you have his or her complete support—or better still, get your partner or a friend to train with you.
Choosing the right race is another issue. You can find extensive listings at MarathonGuide.com. Consider your preferences and what motivates you. Would you like to travel to a destination race? Do you draw energy from crowds and spectators, or do you find large groups of people daunting? Do you run better over hilly or flat terrain? Flat sounds appealing, given the distance, but it can be tough on your muscles to run steady without a shift in workload. Then again, hills can be exhausting. Between logistical considerations and scheduling needs, a choice should become apparent. If it doesn’t, take that as a sign—this might not be the marathon season for you!
Once you’ve decided you’re fully committed, make a list of all the reasons you want to run the marathon. This list will come in handy down the road, on days when your motivation is flagging. You can stow it somewhere safe, or hang it prominently, depending on what will work better for you.
Finally, check your equipment. First, be sure your body is in order. If you have any niggling pain, have it checked out now, before you begin to add mileage. It’s always a good idea to clear any exercise regimen with your health-care provider. Next, check that you have a drawer full of good, supportive bras and at least one fresh pair of running shoes. Read my advice on equipment here.
THE PLAN: FIRST EIGHT WEEKS
We include the entire plan here so that you can wrap your head around the commitment. Let’s break down the first eight weeks in greater detail. As with any plan, the first few weeks should seem really doable, or even too easy. If they’re daunting, try training through a half marathon cycle now and setting your sights on a marathon six months away.
The goal of this first half of your plan is to carefully build mileage while allowing the body time to absorb and adapt to the new workload. You’ll also need to keep your body balanced, by building and maintaining a strong core and keeping your hips flexible, so I’ve included suggestions for yoga, keyed to episodes of my podcast, Sage Yoga Training. On your long runs, nutrition will be a consideration. Read my advice on nutrition here and more advice from nutritionist Aimee Gallo in Holistic Sports Nutrition for Endurance Junkies.
You can run four or more times a week. As written, this is Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday-Sunday, but you can shift the schedule provided you keep the order of workouts the same (this gives your body time to recover and adapt). If you like to run five times a week, put an easy run on Wednesdays, and for the hard-core six-days-a-week crowd, run very, very easy on Fridays, too. Cross-training (XT) is a great choice: engage in a low- or no-impact activity such as using the elliptical trainer, swimming, or cycling, for 30 to 60 minutes on Wednesdays and/or Fridays.
Tuesday runs will start with some very fast running and, as the weeks wear on, this running will come closer and closer to marathon pace. In the first four-week block, your Tuesday runs will help you build efficiency through fast running (think 5K pace or faster); the second four weeks are run around 10K pace. Thursdays will always be an hour of running a hilly course. If you live in a flat area, you can use a treadmill or a bridge, and if you have access to neither, that’s OK; just run!
Saturdays are your long-run days. Long runs in these eight weeks should be fully conversational, run slowly and comfortably at one to two minutes per mile slower than your intended race pace. That raises the question: what should race pace be? Using an online calculator like that found on coach Greg McMillan’s site, McMillanRunning.com, will help you figure it out. If your sole goal is to finish the race, your long run pace might wind up being your marathon pace. If you’re planning to run a little faster, you’ll get a change on Sundays when you’ll run marathon pace (MP) for a portion of the workout. These Sunday runs will help you find and maintain MP even when you are tired.
There is no shame and some wisdom in including walking breaks in your long runs. If you plan to walk through the aid stations to take in fluids, for example, you might add 30 to 60 seconds of walking every mile or every other mile. Practice this in training so that it becomes second nature.
Do some soul searching, find a race, get running, and send me your questions in the comments!
| MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN | |
| WEEK 1 |
 Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 50 min. with 10 x (1 min. hard, 1 min. easy). Follow with Balance and Bowing. | Cross train (XT) or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:00. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 20 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 2 |
 Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 55 min. with 11 x (1 min. hard, 1 min. easy). Follow with Balance and Bowing. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. |  Rest or XT. |
Run 2:10. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 20 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 3 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 12 x (1 min. hard, 1 min. easy). Follow with Balance and Bowing. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:20. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 20 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 4 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 50 min. with 8 x (1 min. hard, 1 min. easy). Follow with Balance and Bowing. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:00. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. easy. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 5 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 4 x (5 min. medium-hard, 2 min. easy). Follow with Pigeon Sequence. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:20. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 20 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 6 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 5 x (5 min. medium-hard, 2 min. easy). Follow with Pigeon Sequence. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:30. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 25 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 7 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 6 x (5 min. medium-hard, 2 min. easy). Follow with Pigeon Sequence. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:40. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 8 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 4 x (3 min. medium-hard, 2 min. easy). Follow with Pigeon Sequence. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:10. Later in the day, include Relax.. |
Run 40 min. at easy. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 9 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 70 min. with 3 x (10 min. medium, 2 min. easy). Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:50. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 10 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 70 min. with 3 x (12 min. medium, 2 min. easy). Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 3:00. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 11 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 70 min. with 3 x (10 min. medium, 2 min. easy). Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 3:00. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 12 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 70 min. with 3 x (15 min. medium, 2 min. easy). Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:20. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 easy. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 13 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 45 min. at MP. Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 3:00. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 14 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 40 min. at MP. Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 2:00. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 15 |
Rest; Yoga or Pilates |
Run 60 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with IT Band Express. | XT or easy run. Follow with Core Flow. |
Run 60 min. over hills. Follow with Lunge Series. | Rest or XT. |
Run 1:20. Later in the day, include Relax. |
Run 40 min. with 30 min. at MP. Follow with Core and More. |
| WEEK 16 |
Rest |
Run 45 min. with 20 min. at MP. | XT or easy run. | Run 40 min. easy. | Rest. |
Run 20 min. with 3 min. at MP. Include Relax. | Race! |
CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE PDF OF THE TRAINING PLAN
(Adobe Reader required)
SAGE ROUNTREE is a USA Triathlon Certified Expert Coach, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, author of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga and The Athlete’s Pocket Guide to Yoga, a contributor to Runner’s World, a member of PowerBar Team Elite, and one of Athleta's Featured Athletes in 2009. She loves competing in triathlon and running races of all distances. Through her business, Sage Endurance, she teaches yoga to athletes and coaches clients in running, ultrarunning, triathlon, and duathlon... {more»}
Related Chi: Training for a Half Marathon
Training for a 10K
Training For a 5K
Training for a Marathon: Part 3
Training for a Marathon: Part 2
I wanted to know if you had any tips for pregnant women? I used to run everyday until i was in my first trimester it was very hard I wasnt feeling well and I want to get back into it now, im 7 months.
any safe tips?
ricky
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Hi, Ricky–that’s a good question for your OB-GYN. If it were me, I’d wait till after the baby is here to resume running. Daily walks will help keep your muscles ready for that return to running, and will actually be very good at maintaining an aerobic base. Swimming is also a great activity, as you feel almost weightless in the water.
All my best wishes for your delivery and motherhood!
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Hi,
I’ve been an avid runner for years and find it difficult to give it up during my pregnancy, as I’m now just in my 2nd trimester. If you get the okay from your OB-Gyn, you should be fine. Also, after consulting with a personal trainer, I found out that as long as your fitness level pre-pregnancy is intermediate to advanced, you and the baby should be fine on a run as long as your heart rate doesn’t go above 160. Good luck!
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Heart-rate ranges vary widely according to the individual, so 160 may or may not be a guideline that works, depending on the mother.
My concern, Ricky, is coming back to something you haven’t done in many months, when your tendons and ligaments are in a lax state (that’s important, to get the baby out!) and your center of balance is in a vastly different place. I ran through both of my pregnancies, until it felt wrong (four months the first time, seven months the next). While there’s no reason to *stop* running if it feels good, I think there’s reason to consider *not starting* so close to delivery. (I know you don’t feel close, but in the grand scheme of things, you’re almost there!)
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How do you recommend incorporating stretching on the run days? I know one is typically not supposed to stretch before a work out, but should you stop in the middle of the run to loosen the leg muscles? I ask this since my calves always need a good stretch when I run.
Thanks!
Toni
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Hi, I really would like to start running. I am not in shape currently. Can you design a program for me to start? Thank you so much.
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Pheobe, check out this piece for advice on getting started: http://www.athleta.net/chi/2009/04/28/get-a-running-start/
Tunisia, great question. If your calves are tight in the middle of your run, yes, you can stretch them. You should also check that you are hydrated enough and that you’re running in the right shoes for your stride. A local specialty running store like Fleet Feet would be a good resource.
The stretches I mention here are for practice after the workout, when you’re warm and loose.
Hope that helps!
Sage
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Tunisia Frederick– I’m a marathoner (and soon to be personal trainer). I recommend doing dynamic warm up stretches. Start with your ankles, and do ten ankle rotations on each leg. Then move your knees and do 10 rotations (clockwise), and 10 rotations counter clockwise. Do 10 hip rotations in each direction, then stretch your upper body. The joint rotations should take you about 5-10 mins before you run. I don’t do static warm up stretches. If you are getting tight during your runs, check your form. Your legs should be relaxed, and you should run from your core muscles, instead of your legs. Afterwards, your stretching should take up about 15-20 mins to loosen up any tight spots. During hot weather hydrate every 10-15 minutes during a run, and at the end of the run drink a high protein, low sugar recovery drink. My favorite is low fat chocolate milk :).
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Hello! I have run a marathon in the past and stuck to a pretty mundane routine of building up mileage by stair stepping my weekday runs, long runs on Saturday, two days of rest and a day of cross training. I signed up for another marathon and started my old training routine, but after seeing this I think I am going to switch up my plan. I have 17 weeks to continue my training so I came across this at the perfect time. I was starting to get bored and I am looking forward to a more dynamic approach to training. Thanks for sharing this!
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So, I really want to do this plan…BUT I’m really dumb or something and I can’t figure out what it means…
10x (one minute slow and one minute fast) for 50 minutes….what does that mean? Does that mean randomly you run 10 times in the run for ten minutes, with one minute fast and then slow? Or is it 10 5minute slow/fast segments? I’m sorry, I’m just really confused.
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No problem! It means warm up (that should take 10-12 minutes), then run one minute hard, one minute easy, one minute hard, one minute easy, etc., until 20 minutes are over (you’ll have run 10 fast minutes with easy ones in between). The rest is cool down until your 50-minute run is done. Does that help, Charis?
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Hi Sage! This training plan is going awesome for me so far. Thank you! On the weekends, is MP maximum pace? Thanks again!
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Oh, golly, no, Michelle. MP is marathon pace. Much slower than maximum! You can use the McMillan Running Calculator to figure out what your marathon pace might be–there’s a link above.
So glad the plan is working well for you! Keep it up!
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Hi Sage! This looks like an awesome training plan! I have started it yesterday, 16 weeks before Philly, my first marathon! I am planning a few modification, please let me know if you think they might work:
1. It being my first marathon, and since I just completed my first intermediate-distance triathlon this past Sunday, at this point I am not worrying about the hard/easy intervals on Tuesdays or the hills on Thursdays. Instead I will simply run those days the mileage/time recommended in the plan. I don’t want to injure myself. Perhaps in week 3 I will start adding the intervals and hills, listening to my body.
2. I have a group to run long with on Sundays. Would it be okay to switch between the Sunday/Saturday options in this plan, i.e., run short on Saturday and then long on Sunday? I know it might not serve the same purpose, trying to maintain MP when I am tired from the long run.
Thanks!
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Gillie, your intuition is right. You could switch Saturday/Sunday, though yes, the idea is to run your pace on tired legs. One approach would be to shift the whole plan by a day. The other would be to make your shorter pace runs on Saturday a lesson in not starting off too fast. That’s almost as important as being able to maintain pace on tired legs.
Congrats on the tri, and best wishes for Philly!
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